Build and Pray

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”  These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Jude 20-21

It’s Monday and if you’re like me, today is a day to evaluate and dive into the week’s activities. In an almost unconscious way, all men prioritize their time and effort. We plan for what is most important to us and budget our time and energy appropriately. If you pay close attention, you’ll notice that being distracted and divided comes very naturally. I love how Jude mentions those who follow “mere natural instincts.” He draws a sharp contrast between ungodly desires and natural instincts and the Spirit. Don’t be divided this week.

A man’s best defense against the distraction is to pray and to build. Make plans to begin this week by doing what is most important. Build your faith. Faith is a muscle that grows as you use. It is flexed by obeying God in some area of your life and then increasing that obedience gradually. Plan to obey God and watch your faith grow. Prayer is what will bring focus to an otherwise distracting week. Having a conversation with God will keep you drawn into what is most important to Him.

Let these words from Jude be a spiritual pep talk to you this week.

DO THIS TODAY: Make it your priority to build and pray.